


Alone in the shadows

by IrrelevantRamblings91



Category: The Umbrella Academy (Comics), The Umbrella Academy (TV), The Umbrella Academy (TV) RPF
Genre: But also not legit family so it's ok y'all, F/M, Falling In Love, Family, Friendship/Love, Loss, Love, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-14 22:08:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28677921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IrrelevantRamblings91/pseuds/IrrelevantRamblings91
Summary: A story about an eighth Hargreeves (I know original) who joins later, approaching teen years, and falls in love with Diego because season 2 happened and he was just such a cute soft boi who needs love.
Relationships: Diego Hargreeves & Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 1





	1. Chapter 1

In movies it always rains during dramatic or sad scenes. Like the weather is a serious empath who just adjusts to fit in with the mood. I always thought that that was an exaggeration. Bad things happen rain or shine, but on the worst day of my life to date it was thundering and the rain was pouring down. So much so my dying mother was squinting through the raindrops to look at me.   
“You need to go to the Umbrella Academy, see Reginald Hargreeves,” She said holding her hands to her stomach where blood was pouring into the running rainwater, making a mess. I thought about arguing, my mother had never been a fan of them. But looking back I probably felt a little too emotional to get those words out. Instead I did the standard holding crying, begging her to come back. If I think about it, properly think about it, the tears start to sting the edges of my eyes. But unfortunately being a 12 year old with no mother, who had to get to New York and speak to a billionaire about essentially becoming his own slave weapon, it makes you kind of cold and sheltered.   
I made it however, I looked like crap so I stole some clothes from a store the next day. It was just an oversized tourist trap t-shirt, but it wasn’t wet and bloody. I managed to pick up a cheap looking rain mac as well. I got a hat and some glasses to cover my face and I left the store pretty easily. I didn’t know who killed my mother, but I was pretty sure it wasn’t an accident, so I had to try and stay incognito as I made my way across to New York. Mum had taught me some great life skills. Like how to identify wild foods to eat in a sticky situation. How to pick pocket, how to steal and how to lie. She taught me how all of this was wrong, but how sometimes we had to do it when the time came and I knew this was the kind of time she referred to.   
So I stole food along with my clothes. Pick-pocketed a few bits of change here and there, until I could afford the bus into New York. I was pretty good at just shoving myself amongst other children and presenting my ticket so they didn’t realise I was alone. I was pretty good at being invisible in general to be honest. I pressed my head against the cold window of the grey hound bus and got settled in for the long journey ahead and I tried to stop my mother’s eyes from appearing in my head. 

New York was very loud. I knew where they lived as my Mother had told me about them before. Told me how they tried to buy me off her when she was younger having just become pregnant and giving birth on the same day. So I knew where I was going. In fact in my bag there was a notebook and on that notebook there was a map to their house. It’s like my mother always knew that eventually I would need to get there. They may be flawed but she knew they wouldn’t fear me or cast me out due to my powers. I’d at least be around other children who were the same. I moved my way through the streets trying to remain as uncovered as possible.   
I knocked on the front door of the mansion but understandably no one answered. I suppose being as famous as they are you would tend to ignore the door unless you were expecting. I frowned and walked around the side of the ridiculous building. I dropped into my realm and moved through the walls with ease finding myself in the shadows of the building inside. I made my way through the rooms until I felt I was inside enough to return back to the upside. I stepped from the shadows shivering a little involuntarily as I always did.   
The house was empty, I sat on a decorative couch that was hard and rough against my bare legs. I had been travelling for hours and had not even considered sleep since my mother’s passing. Suddenly the silence of the house became too soothing and I fell asleep against the rough patterned fabric.   
“There’s someone asleep on our couch,” A child’s voice said still some distance from me. I woke up but kept my eyes closed, trying to keep my breathing calm. I felt where they were and tried to work out my best plan from here. I didn’t want to startle them. I also wanted to see what their immediate response was try to work out if I was going to be allowed here.   
“Where did she come from?” A female voice said. Coming closer to me. “I-I-Is s-s-she h-h-hurt?” Another voice spoke. I softened at that one, someone actually sounding bothered about me was a rarity. I opened my eyes and there was a boy in front of me much closer than I had felt. He was cold, like me. He was about to poke me in the face and without thinking tendrils of shadow shot up stopping his hand mid way through it’s motion. He widened his eyes. But not in fear. He looked down at the tendrils looking impressed. “Cool,” He said smiling. I sat up and immediately jumped to my feet readying myself in case I needed to fight them. The larger boy came forward. The two girls leant back. The boy beside me couldn’t move but he didn’t seem like he would. He was using his other hand to poke my tendrils, which frankly, tickled. I giggled as he did so. As I was distracted I felt a sharp pain in my neck and the edges of my vision started o blur in. My legs gave way beneath me and as I fell I saw a dark haired boy leap forward to catch me before hitting the ground. 

“You’re name?” A male voice asked as the fuzziness in my head cleared and I woke up in a warm bed in a cold room. My forehead was clammy which was a rare thing for me, and I pushed my hair aside from it trying to wipe the remaining fuzziness away while I was there. “You’re name?” He asked again. I moved my eyes to the man in the room. He was Reginald Hargreeves of that I was sure. Even if I hadn’t seen an image of him I could tell from the way he looked. His straight back, nose rising higher than necessary. Moustache sculpted at the sides. His seemingly 15 piece suit and monocle. All of it screamed eccentric billionaire. “Nyx,” I said softly. “Your mothers name?” He asked looking at me again. I frowned. “Alona Begaye,” My voice was struggling to find it’s power behind it. The fuzziness in my head affecting the strength I was always taught to put in the way I say my name, my family name. He nodded. “I met your mother,” He said simply scribbling in his notebook. “I know,” I pushed myself up and my head ached as I sat back against the plain wooden headboard of the bed. I was still in my oversized novelty shirt of which I was thankful. I assessed the bare looking room and spotted my bag by my bed. I breathed a sigh of relief and then focused my attention back to the cold man. “Where is she?”  
“Dead,” I responded quickly before he had even finished the sentence. I didn’t want to think about it. I just had to get that bit over and done with. He nodded. “What is your power Nyx?” He asked, preparing his pencil again. “Can I stay?” I answered, refusing to give my secrets until confirmed. He looked up at me. “In my house you answer me when I ask you a question,” He said simply. He didn’t sound mad just unmovable. “Then you need to confirm my place in your house before I follow your rules,” I eat his emotionless eye-line. His brows furrowed for a brief moment. “You have a place in the Umbrella Academy as long as you follow the rules. I will refer to you as Number 8. You will train with the others and we aim to make it so you can join them on our missions. In return I will house feed and educate you. Do you agree to these terms?” He had been looking at his notebook through the majority. He looked at me upwards like a librarian awaiting my response. I nodded. “I agree,” I shuffled in the bed, “ I can enter and manipulate the shadow realm,” I explained. He nodded. “I will need to do testing with you to see how far you have come under your mothers training. You got here alone, so I am assuming she did fairly well. First Grace will get you cleaned up and dressed, you will meet the children for dinner at 6pm sharp,” He stood then and left the room. Just like that I had a new carer. I breathed out when he left and let myself sink against the back headboard. 

Grace was beautiful. Like a shining ray of sunshine in a place made of gloomy clouds. It sounded cliche but there was no other way to describe her. She looked at me with soft eyes and a gentle smile. She asked me if I was okay and took my to the bathrooms. She ran me a bath and ensured I had all I needed. I was walked around the corridors. But she didn’t make me feel like she was there to watch me more to guide me.   
She put ointments on my cuts and bruises and then she showed me my clothes. I put the uniform on uncertainly. It was loose but still more restricting than the clothes I was used to. She sat me down on a small chair by a small clear desk and brushed my hair for me, singing a calming song.   
I had slept through a lot of the day so once we were done it was time to head down for dinner. The other children were also approaching the table. They sat down quickly facing forwards all automatically going to a certain seat. Grace lead me to a seat at the top of the table. She moved a quiet girl to one side, beside a similarly quiet looking boy. She then sat me on the remaining chair beside a boy with slicked back hair. He looked at me and as I looked around the table I saw they were all staring. “This is number 8, she will be joining us at the Academy from now on. This is number 1,2,3,4,5,6 and 7” Reginald said as he approached the table and didn’t look up at any of us. He pointed at each of the children in turn to number them, then sat, pulled out a newspaper and started reading. I kept the look of the others around me. The blonde boy had an air of leadership around him so I stared him down first. My mother always taught me to assert my dominance in a situation. She told me not to back down. My hands shook at the thought of my mother and before I let it overtake me I wrapped my fingers around my fork firmly and I turned my attention to my dinner. Eventually the others in turn turned their attention from me. Number 6 and 7 were first to look away. Then 3 and 1 turned from me to look at each other trying to communicate with each other silently. Number 4 looked away the minute I met his gaze. He gave me a big goofy smile a wave and then went back to dinner. Number 5 turned away as well with a shrug. Number 2 continued a little longer. His look was dark his head pointing down, like he was trying to assess how I moved. I returned the look but the minute I did he jumped and turned back.


	2. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I nearly posted the chapter in the summary like 4 times. I work in tech support O.o

Dinner was a quiet affair in the Hargreeves household apparently. Nothing like the fire lit conversations I would have with my mother. Her telling me tales of ancient gods, folklore from all different cultures, acting out the battles, imitating the voice, standing proud and tall as Thor, shifty and tricksy as Loki, aggressive and large as Ares. She fell from the sky like Nokomis and owned the night as Nyx did. They were truly marvellous times. A hand suddenly touched mine and I looked up angrily meeting the gaze of Number 7. “Are you ok?” She asked gently. I looked up at her and realised she was blurry. I felt my face and tears were running down my cheeks. I cursed myself, furrowing my brows and wiping the tears away. “Fine,” I said coldly, turning back to finish my food. The girl looked dejected and pang of guilt went through my chest. I couldn’t make friends yet. Not until I knew them, I reassured myself.   
We were allowed some time together in the common room after dinner. A chance to read or chat calmly. The children eyed me but allowed Number 1 to come to me first. “I’m Luther,” He held out his hand as if he forgot he was 12 years old and thought he was introducing himself to a potential business partner. I met his hand though. He shivered when he touched me.   
“Nyx,” I answered, retracting my hand back to myself. “Are you cold? Would you like me to ask Mom to get a blanket?” He asked. I found it odd he referred to Grace as Mom, but then she was wonderful. I shook my head. “I’m always cold, part of my whole ‘thing’” I explained. He nodded. “Mine makes me cold too sometimes,” Number five exclaimed peeking out from behind Luther, “I’m Klaus,” He pulled me alongside him and sat on a sofa. “Your tentacles were cool, what were they?” He asked making his fingers wiggle out like my tendrils. I chuckled. “They aren’t tentacles, it’s just shadow,” I explained, I lifted some from the shadow under the sofa and wrapped it gently around his hand. He poked it again making me involuntarily giggle. “You can feel it?” He asked, poking it again. I laughed and snapped the tendrils back to their shadow. I nodded.   
“I see dead people,” He said with a dramatic smile but there was a shudder under the surface, “Luther there is strong, Diego there throws knives,” “I-I can control-ol-ol p-p-p-projec-c-tiles, and hold my b-b-b-breathe!” Diego snapped. He had been watching intently through the conversation. He crossed his arms sulking a little, which made me smirk. “Allison can rumour anyone into doing anything,” Klaus continued.  
“I heard a rumour you shut your mouth for two seconds Klaus,” She said with a roll of her eyes. Klaus’ mouth snapped closed forcibly and stayed that way for 2 seconds. “As I was saying,” He continued glaring at her, “Number 5 can teleport,” Number five disappeared in a flash of blue from the other side of the room and appeared sitting beside me.   
“And time travel,” He added. “Yet to be proven,” Klaus assured, “That’s Ben he has a portal in his chest, he has real tentacles.” Ben shuffled his feet uncomfortable with the attention. “And that’s Vanya, she doesn’t have a power.., but she plays Violin.” Vanya was sat in a chair alone looking quiet.   
And that was how I was introduced to my adopted siblings and my life for foreseeable future. 

When I went to bed that night I was exhausted despite my late wake up. I lay on the hard mattress. I pulled my big t-shirt out from where Grace had placed it in my room and put that on to sleep in. I stared at the ceiling waiting for sleep to take over. There was a lot of noise coming from the room next to me. The wall immediately next to the headboard of my bed. There was a voice over and over and in between the thud of something hitting the wall. It would have bothered me were I less tired. 

Mr Hargreeves tests were rigorous. He had me push myself to the boundaries of my power and my strength on the very first day. By the time dinner came around I was exhausted. Klaus became an instant friend of mine. He found similarities in the cold nature of our powers and asked me for advice. I said I would try to take him to the shadow realm soon to see if the ghosts still bothered him there. Number five became a close friend too, he was hoping to find a way to teleport between the worlds. Luther and Allison were not cold but they were very much a part of their own thing, so we spoke less frequently. Ben and Vanya were not much for conversation but were kind when I spoke to them. And Diego was a strange one. He was always on the outskirts of my conversations, but never in them. I found out pretty soon it was him who had the room beside me. When he kept me up for the third night in a row, I snuck out of my room quietly and tapped on his door. He opened it glaring at me. “What are you doing?” I asked, looking round him at the small slither of his room I could see. Knives and bullets scattered the surfaces. He furrowed his brows at me and pulled the door closer to him to limit my view. . “N-N-Nonnne o-o-of y-y-“ He sighed and growled and then closed the door in my face. I sighed and returned to my room. The thuds were louder that night. 

I didn’t want to give up. But I realised the door was a no go. I knocked on the wall a few nights later and the thuds stopped a moment. Followed by a knock in return. I sat up in bed so I was leant against the headboard against the wall. I knocked out a series of knocks. Using morse code to say hello. There was a pause. And then it was returned. I smiled. I asked him what he was doing. There was a bigger pause and then finally a response. Trying to speak. His stutter had not gone unnoticed. And it was something Hargreeves surely saw as a weakness. I pondered for a moment. I asked him if I could help. How? He asked. I offered him someone to speak to. More silence. I worried I had over stepped a mark. I had a soft spot for Diego as I knew he was the one who asked if I was ok when I first got here. And the one to catch me when I got here. I knew he was a good person under this forced bravado. Its harder to talk to you he said simply. I frowned. I guessed I wasn’t really a part of his family yet. I said I’m sorry and then slipped back into bed. And for the first night in a while I felt ever so alone. 

Diego continued to not talk to me in our common time. And Hargreeves continued to push me until he had me joining in drills with the others. I was fast and strong, but they were faster and stronger. I had to build myself up before I could go on a mission Mr Hargreeves assured me. I just nodded. I would wait and I would get stronger. I didn’t care about him. I liked the others but I didn’t really care about them either. But I needed to be strong, so I could make it. It’s why Mum would have sent me here. To get stronger and get better. At night Diego would tap on the wall to talk to me. It became a bit of routine. We would discuss the day mainly and talk about training at first. But it was nice. I found it easy to talk - well tap - to him. About six months into me staying there I tried again to offer help. We started normally   
You were faster today he tapped. I smiled. -Still not as fast as you-. I have to be better than number 1 though. I rolled my eyes at their competition. -At least let him be stronger. That’s all he has- I responded. I heard him chuckle the other side. -I saw Mom helping you with speaking. How is it going?- Better I have to picture the word. -Need a helper yet?- I asked again. I heard his hands slide across to wall. There was a long wait and I held my breathe. OK come over.   
I came into the room quietly and he closed the door behind me. We sat opposite each other on the floor and we talked. He told me about his day and why he hated Dad and couldn’t believe Mom hadn’t made me cookies yet. And when he struggled we took our time and I held his hand and told him there was no rush. Mom told him to picture the word so he did and he got there. And then I fell asleep on the end of his bed. Mom found us in the morning and moved me into my room advising us that Mr Hargreeves would not approve. I explained we were helping him talk and she understood but told us to be more careful. We still didn’t speak much through the day. But occasionally I would catch him looking at me and I would smile.


End file.
